Entertaining a visit to the old Willis place

"Have you ever been to Indian Creek?" Declan asked from his throne in the back seat of our car as we made our way to school this morning.

"No, can't say that I have. There are a lot of places around here I'm not familiar with though," I replied, having no issue admitting the fact I am geographically challenged and a little more than four years is simply not enough time for me to become familiar with a region.

"What about the old Willis place?" Declan asked next.

"The old Willis place? Hmm..." I thought to myself it didn't sound familiar, but didn't sound like something Declan was pulling out of thin-air either.

"Is it in town or out of town?" I asked, hoping to jog my memory.

"I don't know, you're the one that's supposed to know everything," Declan replied dryly.

The young man had obviously been misinformed in that regard, but the comment was effective in sending me brainstorming.

"The Ghost of Crutchfield Hall?" Declan continued with the same quizzical tone.

"The what?" I replied, as his words registered and interrupted my mental memory bank stroll though the maps in my head. I looked up from the roadway and attempted to maneuver my gaze through the rearview mirror to see what the little man was up to.

I noticed Declan attempting to stymie what was an expanding grin on his face as he lowered a book he held open in his lap, intentionally making it difficult for me to see it through the mirror. He had been reading titles of up and coming books, in a series related to the fictional book he held in his lap.

Considering the level of chaos and directly related morning grumpiness Declan had displayed each other morning this week, I was glad to see him in a playful mood for once.

"I don't know the Ghost of Crutchfield Hall, but I know someone who might get to meet her real soon," I replied as I turned my attention back to the road, waiting just long enough to see Declan let loose his grin.